# Georgia State Senate — District 37 — 2026 Candidates — The GA Files > Where the 2026 candidates for Georgia State Senate — District 37 stand — bio, prior offices, top donors, positions on DEI, LGBTQ+, abortion, and data centers, plus any scandals. Sourced. *Source: https://thegafiles.com/candidates/senate-district-37.html · The GA Files (thegafiles.com)* --- [← 2026 Candidates](https://thegafiles.com/candidates.html) # Georgia State Senate — District 37 D ### Darcy Castro Democratic nominee · communications consultant; Air Force spouse Darcy Castro is a Cobb County communications consultant and TV writer-host with a background in public relations, journalism and nonprofit marketing and a speech-communications degree from Portland State University. A former Mrs. Georgia, she is married to a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and is the mother of four, one of them on a Naval ROTC scholarship. She is an elder at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church and volunteered with the International Rescue Committee helping Afghan refugee families resettle in Georgia. She won the May Democratic primary over Zachary Neville. #### Previously held - Owner, Darcy Castro Productions (writer and TV host) - Former public-relations contractor - Former Mrs. Georgia #### Top contributors $73,656 raised — including $16,927 in in-kind support — with $31,400 in the bank. Her largest donors are individuals, several of them in Marietta, plus Sen. Elena Parent and a teachers'-association fund; her own contribution is among the largest. - $6,300.00 — Kevin McNulty (Palmetto, FL) - $3,300.00 — Roy Barnes (Marietta, GA) - $3,300.00 — Darcy Castro (Marietta, GA — the candidate) - $3,300.00 — Bruce M. Gillett, MD (Marietta, GA) - $3,016.00 — Beverly Wynne (Kennesaw, GA — two entries) - $2,000.00 — Elena Parent (Atlanta, GA) - $1,500.00 — Robert Kahn (Atlanta, GA) - $1,213.90 — Tina Sensing (Powder Springs, GA) - $1,000.00 — GAE Fund for Public Education (Tucker, GA) **$73,656** raised · **$31,400** cash on hand — as of **Sep 14, 2026** (GA Ethics latest filing). Source: [Georgia Ethics Commission (PeachFile) — cycle-to-date, Sept. 14, 2026](https://peachfile.ethics.ga.gov/) · [Daily Tribune News — Meet the candidates: District 37 Senate Democratic primary (May 15, 2026)](https://www.daily-tribune.com/news/meet-the-candidates-district-37-senate-democratic-primary/article_fefae393-76cb-5995-ac4f-ac271a869d4a.html) · [Georgia WIN List — Darcy Castro endorsed for SD 37](https://gawinlist.com/darcy-castro-sd37/) · [Wikipedia — 2026 Georgia State Senate election (2024 presidential margins by district)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Georgia_State_Senate_election) #### Where they stand Education “Protect the HOPE scholarship so every Georgia student has a path to an affordable college education,” and “keep schools safe.” Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) Healthcare Supports “expanding Medicaid access to give people health care with dignity, protect our rural hospitals from closing,” and pledges to “fight rising premiums and healthcare costs.” Source: [Daily Tribune News — Meet the candidates: District 37 Senate Democratic primary (May 15, 2026)](https://www.daily-tribune.com/news/meet-the-candidates-district-37-senate-democratic-primary/article_fefae393-76cb-5995-ac4f-ac271a869d4a.html) · [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) Minimum Wage We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. She calls affordability the most pressing issue in the district and campaigns on “Affordability for All.” Source: [Daily Tribune News — Meet the candidates: District 37 Senate Democratic primary (May 15, 2026)](https://www.daily-tribune.com/news/meet-the-candidates-district-37-senate-democratic-primary/article_fefae393-76cb-5995-ac4f-ac271a869d4a.html) · [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) Homelessness We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. On housing: “Keep private equity out of our housing market so Georgians can afford to own a home.” Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) Veterans Affairs We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. She is a military spouse. Source: [Daily Tribune News — Meet the candidates: District 37 Senate Democratic primary (May 15, 2026)](https://www.daily-tribune.com/news/meet-the-candidates-district-37-senate-democratic-primary/article_fefae393-76cb-5995-ac4f-ac271a869d4a.html) Immigration We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. She has volunteered helping Afghan refugee families resettle in Georgia. Source: [Georgia WIN List — Darcy Castro endorsed for SD 37](https://gawinlist.com/darcy-castro-sd37/) Gun Control We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) · [Daily Tribune News — Meet the candidates: District 37 Senate Democratic primary (May 15, 2026)](https://www.daily-tribune.com/news/meet-the-candidates-district-37-senate-democratic-primary/article_fefae393-76cb-5995-ac4f-ac271a869d4a.html) Abortion “Keep the government out of private decisions between patients and their doctors.” The Georgia WIN List endorsed her specifically to defeat the author of Georgia's six-week abortion ban. Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) · [Georgia WIN List — Darcy Castro endorsed for SD 37](https://gawinlist.com/darcy-castro-sd37/) LGBTQ+ We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) · [Daily Tribune News — Meet the candidates: District 37 Senate Democratic primary (May 15, 2026)](https://www.daily-tribune.com/news/meet-the-candidates-district-37-senate-democratic-primary/article_fefae393-76cb-5995-ac4f-ac271a869d4a.html) DEI We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. On voting, she pledges to “prevent mid-decade redistricting and unfair manipulation of electoral maps.” Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) Marijuana We reviewed her campaign platform, candidate profiles and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) Data centers “Stop passing the costs of data centers onto families through higher utility bills.” Source: [BallotReady — Darcy Castro](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) #### Accountability File None documented. [Campaign site](https://www.darcycastro.com/) · [BallotReady profile](https://www.ballotready.org/people/darcy-castro) R ### Ed Setzler Republican incumbent · author of Georgia's 2019 six-week abortion law Ed Setzler, an Acworth Republican, served in the Georgia House from 2005 to 2023 — where he wrote HB 481, the 2019 “Heartbeat Bill” that bans most abortions after about six weeks — before winning Senate District 37 in 2022. He co-chairs the Cobb County Senate delegation and was unopposed in the May Republican primary. #### Previously held - State Senator, District 37 (2023–present) - State Representative (2005–2023); author of HB 481 (2019) - Co-chair, Cobb County Senate delegation #### Top contributors $53,750 raised and $51,758 in the bank. His largest donors include the Senate Republican caucus committee, Senate President Pro Tem Larry Walker's committee, Sen. Jason Anavitarte's committee, an autism-therapy company and the trial lawyers' Civil Justice PAC. - $3,300.00 — Apollo Behavior (Suwanee, GA) - $3,300.00 — Larry Walker for State Senate (Kathleen, GA — Senate President Pro Tem's committee) - $3,300.00 — Georgia Republican Senatorial Committee (Roswell, GA) - $3,300.00 — Committee to Elect Jason Anavitarte (Atlanta, GA — Sen. Jason Anavitarte's committee) - $3,000.00 — Civil Justice PAC (Atlanta, GA) - $2,000.00 — Aaron Strimban (Woodstock, GA) - $2,000.00 — Drew Ashby (Marietta, GA) - $2,000.00 — Nick Protentis (Sandy Springs, GA) - $2,000.00 — Michael Goldberg (Atlanta, GA) - $2,000.00 — Rob Hammers (Atlanta, GA) **$53,750** raised · **$51,758** cash on hand — as of **Sep 14, 2026** (GA Ethics latest filing). Source: [Georgia Ethics Commission (PeachFile) — cycle-to-date, Sept. 14, 2026](https://peachfile.ethics.ga.gov/) · [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Wikipedia — Ed Setzler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Setzler) #### Where they stand Education We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) Healthcare We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. He was recorded excused on HB 428 (2025), the IVF-access bill. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — Senate roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/senate) Minimum Wage We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. He voted YES on HB 111 (2025), accelerating Georgia's income-tax cut. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — Senate roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/senate) Homelessness Voted YES on HB 295 (2026), which restricts unsanctioned public camping and sleeping and pushes local governments toward enforcement. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — Senate roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/senate) Veterans Affairs We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) Immigration We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) Gun Control We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) Abortion Wrote HB 481 (2019), Georgia's six-week abortion ban, as a state representative and voted for it. He was recorded excused on HB 428 (2025), the IVF-access bill. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Wikipedia — Ed Setzler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Setzler) LGBTQ+ Voted YES on SB 1 (2025), barring transgender women and girls from female school and college sports teams; YES on SB 140 (2023), banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors; and YES on SB 39 (2025), which would have barred state funds from paying for gender-affirming care for state employees and prisoners. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — Senate roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/senate) DEI We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) Marijuana Voted NO on SB 220 (2026), the expansion of Georgia's low-THC medical cannabis program, which passed with bipartisan support. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Georgia General Assembly — Senate roll-call votes](https://www.legis.ga.gov/votes/senate) Data centers We reviewed his legislative record and campaign coverage as of September 2026 and found no stated position on this. Source: [GA Files fact sheet — Ed Setzler](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) #### Accountability File None documented. [Full legislator fact sheet](https://thegafiles.com/EdSetzler.html) · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Setzler) [⬇ Share image](https://thegafiles.com/share/candidates/senate-district-37.png) [⬇ Download for offline](https://thegafiles.com/candidates/senate-district-37.offline.html) Every entry is drawn from published reporting, official records, or the candidate's own statements, with sources on each item. Policy summaries are condensed from that reporting and reflect the candidate's stated positions; where a matter is an allegation or unresolved, that is noted, and inclusion is not a finding of guilt. Contributor figures are early/partial where the official itemized filings (Georgia Ethics Commission) are still being compiled. Corrections welcome via the contact link in the footer. Last updated 2026-06-17.